Homemade Grilled Pizza

Learn how to make grilled pizza dough that is perfectly chewy, crispy, and delicious.  We’ve included step-by-step instructions, expert tips, topping ideas, and more.

Once you’ve got your grilled Pizza dough, you’ll need to prep your ingredients, preheat the grill and follow our super simple instructions.  If you’re looking for another out-of-the-box pizza recipe, be sure to check out my tips and tips for French Bread Pizza Recipe, and pizza roll ups too.

Grilled Pizza Dough

There’s no need to heat up your kitchen to cook a pizza. In fact, this recipe for pizza on the grill is a good excuse to gather on the patio or deck and make dinner an event instead of just another thing to check off your busy list.

This step-by-step guide will show you just how easy it is to get chewy, crispy, flavorful pizza crust by cooking it over your charcoal or gas grill.  If you’ve never tried it before, Grilled Pizza has a slightly different flavor and texture to it than you can get from a conventional oven.

We’ve given you our recipe for homemade pizza dough that is easy enough for beginners and takes no time at all to throw together.  However, if you are looking for a shortcut, many grocery stores also sell premade fresh pizza dough that will work great.  

Ingredients You Will Need

• Flour – we use all-purpose flour but you can also use bread flour.
• Salt – salt is important for the flavor and for the structure of the dough, so don’t forget to add it!
• Water – warm water is best because it helps to wake up your yeast.  It should be between 95-110 degrees F.  
• Yeast – we use active dry yeast in this recipe, which needs to be proofed.  (check out our Homemade White Bread recipe for more info on activating yeast).  Note that if you use instant yeast, you can skip the proofing step and just mix the dough together.
• Sugar – we use regular granulated sugar, but you could also substitute honey.

Best Toppings for Grilled Pizza

Sauce

We’ve given you links to homemade sauces, but always feel free to use our amazing Pizza sauce. Store bought pizza sauce or tomato sauce will work too and will save some time.

• Marinara Sauce 
• Pesto Sauce
• Alfredo Sauce
• Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo
• White Pizza Sauce

Cheese

• Fresh mozzarella cheese
• Goat cheese
• Feta cheese
• Grated parmesan cheese

Pizza Topping Ideas

• Pepperoni
• Sausage
• Prosciutto
• Ham
• Cherry tomatoes
• Bell peppers
• Mushrooms
• Spinach
• Olives
• Pineapple
• Balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt
• Dried oregano
• Fresh basil

How to Make Pizza Dough For Grilling

1. Proof the yeast.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast and mix well.  Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes, or until it becomes frothy and bubbly.
2. Mix the dough.  Once your yeast has “proofed,” add the salt and 3 cups of flour.  Mix on low speed using the dough hook for about 2 minutes.  The dough should appear to be a little stringy.  Add in the rest of the flour, about 1/4 cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Mix on low speed for another 1-2 minutes until the dough is nice and smooth, then transfer to a lightly floured surface.
3. Divide dough.  Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and form them into balls.
4. Use immediately or refrigerate.  If you want to use any right away, use your hands to pull and spread to a 12-14″ round, then use as needed.  Otherwise, wrap each dough ball tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

How to Grill Pizza

1. Preheat grill to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare your pizzas.  Stretch your dough into 12-14” rounds, then brush the top with olive oil.
3. Put pizza dough on grill.  Lift the rounds up with both hands and place olive oil side down onto the hot grill.  Brush the top side with olive oil as well, so that both sides are completely covered.  Close the grill for 1-2 minutes, keeping a close eye on the first pizza until you get a feel for how hot your grill is cooking.
4. Flip pizzas and add toppings.  Flip the dough over and add your sauce, cheese and any toppings that you want to the grilled side. (Note: you’ll want to go light on the cheese because it needs to melt in the time it takes the dough to finish cooking).  Cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the crust is cooked and the cheese is melted.
5. Serve.  Once cooked, remove from the grill using a pizza peel or metal spatulas and cool on a wire rack for a couple minutes before slicing and serving.  Enjoy!

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

• Brush both sides of your pizza dough with olive oil.  It adds flavor and keeps the dough from sticking to the grill grates.
• Go light on the cheese – you want to make sure it has a chance to melt by the time the crust has finished cooking.
• Add sea salt and dried oregano to your pizza before you grill it.  It adds so much flavor!
• After you are finished grilling your pizza, cut it up on a cutting board and slide it onto a cooling rack.  This prevents the crust from getting soggy.
• An easy make-ahead option is to pre-grill both sides of the pizza dough for about 2-3 minutes, then remove from the grill and let cool on a cooling rack until you are ready to add the toppings and grill again.
• Roll or stretch your pizza dough really thin.
• An easy way to manage the pizza dough is to roll it out on parchment paper and then when it’s time to cook it, simply flip the parchment over right onto the grill.
• Don’t overdo the toppings. Grilled pizza is best with a light serving of sauce, cheese, and other toppings.
• Turn your grill down after you add the toppings. This will allow the toppings to cook while the crust is on indirect heat.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Of The Best Pizza Recipes To Try

• Best Homemade Pizza
• Homemade Taco Pizza
• Stuffed Crust Pizza
• French Bread Pizza
• White Pizza
• Combination Pizza
• Pizza Pinwheels
• More Best Pizza Recipes
• More Summer Recipes
• More Dinner Ideas

This recipe will show you how to make Grilled Pizza from start to finish, complete with a pizza dough recipe and tips to make your pizza delicious every time.